Asbestos in sand products

Asbestos is a naturally occurring group of fibrous minerals. These occur in different mineral forms and fibre types and can vary significantly in their physical characteristics, including length, thickness, and shape.

Some products made from or containing sand have been found to include small amounts of asbestos. Health New Zealand advises that asbestos is a proven substance that can increase the risk of developing cancer (carcinogen), mainly via breathing in air that contains asbestos fibres.

Research undertaken by Auckland University of Technology found that asbestos fibres present in some recalled consumer sand products could become airborne during simulated play activities. This means consumers could inhale asbestos fibres, creating a potential health risk.

The Unsafe Goods (Consumer Sand Products) Notice 2026 is effective from 1 February 2027.

The notice prohibits the import and supply of certain toys, decorative, artistic and craft products that contain sand, unless mandatory testing and documentation requirements have been met.

When this unsafe goods notice applies

The unsafe goods notice applies to:

• toys that include or contain accessible sand
• toys that contain sand within a flexible plastic, rubber, silicone, gel, or elastomeric material
• decorative, artistic, or craft products that are sand, or that include or contain sand, if the sand is accessible.

Examples of products that are covered include:

• tubs of coloured sand
• craft sand
• rangoli products that contain sand
• stretchy sensory products containing sand.

When this unsafe goods notice does not apply

The notice does not apply to:

• sand products by natural geological processes that are intended to fill sand pits, playgrounds, or other recreational areas
• board games that do not include or contain accessible sand.

Testing must be undertaken in accordance with ISO 22262-2:2026, ISO 22262-2:2014, or ISO 22262-1:2012 by an appropriately accredited laboratory. Laboratories must be accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 by an accreditation body.

Accreditation bodies can be found on the ILAC website:

Members by economy(external link) – International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation

Suppliers must hold a test report recording the results of the required testing. The report should be provided to the New Zealand Customs Service and the Commerce Commission upon request, together with the relevant documentation.

The documentation must:

• be dated no more than 12 months before being imported into or manufactured in New Zealand
• clearly identify the product or product variant to which it applies, we also recommend to include photographs of the product variant
• identify the laboratory that conducted the testing
• specify the testing method used and standard tested against
• indicate that no asbestos was identified in the samples tested
• include all other information that is required by the applicable testing standard.

Read the unsafe goods notice

Unsafe Goods (Consumer Sand Products) Notice 2026(external link) – New Zealand Gazette Te Kāhiti o Aotearoa

Products containing asbestos, of any quantity, are prohibited to import into New Zealand without a permit from the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). 

Imports and Exports (Asbestos-containing Products) Prohibition Order 2016(external link) – New Zealand Legislation

Work safe advises that all sand in a workplace that has tested positive for asbestos must be managed and removed as friable asbestos containing material. Friable asbestos containing material can easily release fibres into the air. 

Asbestos in coloured sand(external link) – WorkSafe

If the product is found to contain even trace amount of asbestos, you should: 

1. remove the product from sale
2. follow WorkSafe “Class A” guidance on management and disposal of the product
3. conduct a voluntary product safety recall.

Product recalls - information for businesses

Consumer sand products